Latest News
Mark Dudbridge
05 Aug 2009
MARK enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame as a darts star, reaching three major finals in just over two years after becoming a professional.
The Bristol-born player made an immediate impact by winning the first televised event he competed in at the 2002 World Masters, overcoming Tony West in the final to take the title
He moved onto the PDC circuit in 2003, winning the UK Open North-West Regional Final and reaching two other ranking finals before making his UK Open debut, losing to Cliff Lazarenko in the last 64.
Peter Evison and Andy Jenkins denied Dudbridge in his first appearances at the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix, but a win in the Ireland Open Classic saw him continue to rise up the rankings.
Having qualified for a first World Championship at the 2004 event, he overcame former World Champions John Part and Steve Beaton to reach the quarter-finals, where he lost to Kevin Painter.
Dudbridge reached the final of the UK Open North-West Regional Final, losing to Mark Robinson, and after another last 64 exit in the UK Open qualified for a Las Vegas Desert Classic debut, although Alan Warriner ended his hopes in that event.
However, Warriner was amongst his victims as Dudbridge powered to a first major PDC final at the 2004 World Matchplay, also overcoming Wayne Mardle, Peter Manley and Ronnie Baxter before losing 18-8 to Phil Taylor.
He went out to Manley in the World Grand Prix, but avenged that to win a Players Championship in Scotland and then won through to a third televised final, this time at the 2005 World Championship.
Richie Burnett, Part, Denis Ovens and Wayne Mardle were defeated at the Circus Tavern as he set up another duel with Taylor, who again proved too strong with a 7-4 triumph.
Dudbridge, though, broke into the top ten of the world rankings and also earned a spot in the inaugural Premier League Darts, where he would finish fifth and miss out on the play-offs by one point.
He also reached two ranking finals in the first half of the year, but suffered a third successive last 64 defeat in the UK Open before losing to Andy Callaby at the Desert Classic in round one and to Mardle in the last 16 at the World Matchplay.
Three quarter-finals on the circuit were followed by him reaching the last eight in the World Grand Prix, going down once more to Taylor.
He progressed to the last 16 at the 2006 World Championship without dropping a set against Darin Young and Alan Tabern, but lost to Kevin Painter at that stage.
Victory in the UK Open South-West Regional Final, overcoming Dennis Priestley in the final, saw him claim another ranking title, while Taylor would end his World Series of Darts bid in the quarter-finals.
However, his form on the big stage dipped during the remainder of the year, with another last 64 finish in the UK Open followed by first round losses at the Desert Classic, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix.
After a second round exit to Andy Hamilton at the 2007 World Championship, Dudbridge began to produce the goods once more in the majors.
He won his first round group in the International Darts League in Holland and only missed out on a quarter-final place on leg difference after the second group stage, and was a quarter-finalist in the US Open, once more losing to Hamilton.
He then enjoyed his best UK Open performance by reaching the last 16 and defeated Taylor in the first round of the Desert Classic before losing narrowly to Part.
Wayne Mardle ended his World Matchplay challenge, but he reached the quarter-finals of the World Grand Prix and the last 16 of the 2008 World Championship at Alexandra Palace, where he was edged out by James Wade.
A run to the final of a Players Championship in Glasgow in April, where he lost to Mervyn King, was his best run in a tournament for over two years as he challenged to return to the top 16.
Dudbridge then reached the quarter-finals at the US Open, losing to Priestley, and was a 9-8 loser to Gary Mawson in the UK Open at the last 16 stage.
However, he failed to qualify for the Desert Classic and was overcome by Mardle and Painter in round one at the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix respectively.
A return to form saw him win group seven of the Championship League Darts event, and he was sixth in the Winners Group but the only player to take a point from eventual champion Taylor.
That continued with a semi-final appearance in a Players Championship in Germany and a quarter-final appearance at the German Darts Championship.
A second successive last 16 exit in the World Championship would follow, to Barrie Bates, but a strong start to 2009 saw him reach two finals in the first three Players Championship tournaments.
He was a 6-5 loser to Robert Thornton in the Players Championship Finals in Purfleet, but reached two further semis on the PDC Pro Tour before losing to Mark Lawrence in the last 32 at the UK Open.
The summer, though, saw him miss out in the Desert Classic qualifiers for a second successive year and then fall at the first hurdle in the World Matchplay for a fourth year in a row, this time losing to Mervyn King.
Major Titles:
World Masters 2002
PDC Tournament Wins:
UK Open North-West Regional Final 2003
Ireland Open Classic 2003
Players Championship (Scotland) 2004
UK Open South-West Regional Final 2006
The Bristol-born player made an immediate impact by winning the first televised event he competed in at the 2002 World Masters, overcoming Tony West in the final to take the title
He moved onto the PDC circuit in 2003, winning the UK Open North-West Regional Final and reaching two other ranking finals before making his UK Open debut, losing to Cliff Lazarenko in the last 64.
Peter Evison and Andy Jenkins denied Dudbridge in his first appearances at the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix, but a win in the Ireland Open Classic saw him continue to rise up the rankings.
Having qualified for a first World Championship at the 2004 event, he overcame former World Champions John Part and Steve Beaton to reach the quarter-finals, where he lost to Kevin Painter.
Dudbridge reached the final of the UK Open North-West Regional Final, losing to Mark Robinson, and after another last 64 exit in the UK Open qualified for a Las Vegas Desert Classic debut, although Alan Warriner ended his hopes in that event.
However, Warriner was amongst his victims as Dudbridge powered to a first major PDC final at the 2004 World Matchplay, also overcoming Wayne Mardle, Peter Manley and Ronnie Baxter before losing 18-8 to Phil Taylor.
He went out to Manley in the World Grand Prix, but avenged that to win a Players Championship in Scotland and then won through to a third televised final, this time at the 2005 World Championship.
Richie Burnett, Part, Denis Ovens and Wayne Mardle were defeated at the Circus Tavern as he set up another duel with Taylor, who again proved too strong with a 7-4 triumph.
Dudbridge, though, broke into the top ten of the world rankings and also earned a spot in the inaugural Premier League Darts, where he would finish fifth and miss out on the play-offs by one point.
He also reached two ranking finals in the first half of the year, but suffered a third successive last 64 defeat in the UK Open before losing to Andy Callaby at the Desert Classic in round one and to Mardle in the last 16 at the World Matchplay.
Three quarter-finals on the circuit were followed by him reaching the last eight in the World Grand Prix, going down once more to Taylor.
He progressed to the last 16 at the 2006 World Championship without dropping a set against Darin Young and Alan Tabern, but lost to Kevin Painter at that stage.
Victory in the UK Open South-West Regional Final, overcoming Dennis Priestley in the final, saw him claim another ranking title, while Taylor would end his World Series of Darts bid in the quarter-finals.
However, his form on the big stage dipped during the remainder of the year, with another last 64 finish in the UK Open followed by first round losses at the Desert Classic, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix.
After a second round exit to Andy Hamilton at the 2007 World Championship, Dudbridge began to produce the goods once more in the majors.
He won his first round group in the International Darts League in Holland and only missed out on a quarter-final place on leg difference after the second group stage, and was a quarter-finalist in the US Open, once more losing to Hamilton.
He then enjoyed his best UK Open performance by reaching the last 16 and defeated Taylor in the first round of the Desert Classic before losing narrowly to Part.
Wayne Mardle ended his World Matchplay challenge, but he reached the quarter-finals of the World Grand Prix and the last 16 of the 2008 World Championship at Alexandra Palace, where he was edged out by James Wade.
A run to the final of a Players Championship in Glasgow in April, where he lost to Mervyn King, was his best run in a tournament for over two years as he challenged to return to the top 16.
Dudbridge then reached the quarter-finals at the US Open, losing to Priestley, and was a 9-8 loser to Gary Mawson in the UK Open at the last 16 stage.
However, he failed to qualify for the Desert Classic and was overcome by Mardle and Painter in round one at the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix respectively.
A return to form saw him win group seven of the Championship League Darts event, and he was sixth in the Winners Group but the only player to take a point from eventual champion Taylor.
That continued with a semi-final appearance in a Players Championship in Germany and a quarter-final appearance at the German Darts Championship.
A second successive last 16 exit in the World Championship would follow, to Barrie Bates, but a strong start to 2009 saw him reach two finals in the first three Players Championship tournaments.
He was a 6-5 loser to Robert Thornton in the Players Championship Finals in Purfleet, but reached two further semis on the PDC Pro Tour before losing to Mark Lawrence in the last 32 at the UK Open.
The summer, though, saw him miss out in the Desert Classic qualifiers for a second successive year and then fall at the first hurdle in the World Matchplay for a fourth year in a row, this time losing to Mervyn King.
| Name: | Mark Dudbridge |
| Nickname: | Flash |
| Date of Birth: | 11/1/1973 |
| Place of Birth: | Bristol |
| Current Home Town: | Bristol |
| Darts Used: | 21g Harrows Flash Series |
| TV Debut: | 2002 |
| Website: | Click here |
World Masters 2002
PDC Tournament Wins:
UK Open North-West Regional Final 2003
Ireland Open Classic 2003
Players Championship (Scotland) 2004
UK Open South-West Regional Final 2006
